Step Two – Principle 4 of 5: Letting Go of Self-Reliance

Two Sleeves and the Ceiling – The Control Dilemma

“Letting go doesn’t mean giving up responsibility. It means acknowledging limits and accepting help.”

Step Two invites us to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. But belief is not the same as behavior. And for me, the spiritual pivot was easy. The behavioral one? That’s where the real wrestling began.

I’ve never struggled with the idea of God. I’ve always felt the presence of something greater—especially now, in recovery. I feel God over my left shoulder, not as a puppeteer, but as a loyal Father. I’m one of His children. I walk with Him.

But when it comes to business? That’s where I still want the wheel.

The Two-Sleeve Ceiling

I’ve run companies with 220 employees. I’ve managed chaos, solved problems, and delivered outcomes with sleeves rolled up and common sense blazing. My approach is grounded in action: avoid perfection paralysis, get 80% done, and swing the bat more often than not. Serendipity favors the bold.

These traits serve me well—until they don’t.

Because when others don’t do things the way I picture them in my mind, I get frustrated. I take over. I do it myself. And that’s the ceiling. I only have two sleeves. I can’t scale beyond my own bandwidth. And that’s not just a business problem—it’s a spiritual one.

The Control Hangover

This same mindset sabotaged my early attempts at sobriety. I tried to control my recovery like I controlled my work. I white-knuckled it. I strategized it. I tried to outthink addiction.

But addiction isn’t a business problem. It’s a soul problem. And my soul was exhausted.

Eventually, I’d hit a wall of frustration and fatigue, and in that moment of hyper-anxiety, I’d say, “F*** it,” and go back to my old friend, Johnnie Walker.

The Fusion Experiment

Now, I’m experimenting with a fusion. I’ve reframed my business not as a monument to ego, but as a vehicle for service. My mission is to help as many people in recovery as I can. And to do that, I need time, flexibility, and resources. I can’t ask for a scoop of rice like a monk. I need to build something that funds the mission.

So I’m testing a hybrid: spiritual surrender in life, strategic control in business—but with a twist. I’m learning to let go in the trenches. To delegate. To trust. To ask for help.

It’s not perfect. But it’s progress.

The Spiritual Inventory

Step Ten says, “Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.” That’s not just a recovery tool—it’s a quality management system. Monitor non-conformances. Adjust. Improve.

My self-awareness used to run at 1/10. Now it’s closer to 8/10. That’s not enlightenment. That’s just honesty. And honesty is the soil where grace grows.

Practical Tools for Letting Go

Letting go isn’t passive. It’s active. Here’s what I’m doing:

• Attend meetings. Share truthfully. Ask for help—from AA fellows, psychologists, priests.
• Engage spiritually. Pray. Meditate. Reflect. Let God into the boardroom.
• Act differently. Letting go is not a mindset—it’s a behavior. Delegate. Trust. Experiment.

Final Reflection

I’m not trying to be perfect. I’m trying to be faithful. I’m not trying to control everything. I’m trying to walk with God, sleeves rolled up, but heart open.

Letting go of self-reliance doesn’t mean I stop building. It means I stop building alone.

PART IV

A strong advocate for freedom, limited government, and enterprise-driven progress, Jason also draws deeply from his personal recovery journey—an experience that reshaped his life and fuels his commitment to growth, contribution, and principled living. Through writing, speaking, and service, he continues to learn, share, and speak with purpose.

I can be engaged (on a remunerated or volunteer basis) to sit on Boards, Committees, Advisory and Reference Group Panels, and to speak to Business, Community, and Youth groups. I’m also open to providing comment to media on topics where I have relevant experience or insight. Please feel free to make contact.